MARIETTA — The father of a Sandy Springs man who was shot and killed in early April at a Marietta bar said he was pleased with the indictment against three people in connection with his son’s death.

Trina Lesley Chatman, 37; Dennis Lee Hampton, 41; and Joseph Ricky Hampton, 48, have been formally charged by the grand jury in the shooting death of 34-year-old Tekilum Terrell.

They are all accused of fighting with Terrell at Milo’s Bar off Garrison Road in Marietta in the early morning on April 7, with Chatman reportedly breaking a bottle over Terrell’s head and Dennis Hampton reportedly having shot Terrell.

According to the indictment, all three are charged with two counts each of murder and aggravated assault. Dennis Hampton was also charged with a third count of murder and two counts of use of a firearm by a convicted felon during a crime.

They have remained in the Cobb County jail since they were arrested on April 9 without a bond.

“I’m glad we crossed the first hurdle,” Larry Terrell of Stone Mountain said. “I’m elated because the way that I’ve been feeling, my life is gone. I just want justice for my son.”

Larry Terrell had to spend his first Father’s Day without his only son in June.

“It hurt me so bad, killed me,” he said. “But I’m glad the way they were indicted. I don’t ever want to see them on the streets again. I want them to get the maximum. I have no remorse on whatever the court decides. I want the harshest penalty.”

The case has been assigned to Cobb Superior Court Judge Lark Ingram, but arraignment dates have not been set.

According to Georgia law, the suspects could face death or life in prison with or without parole on each murder count, five to 20 years in prison on each aggravated assault charge, and up to 15 years in prison for each charge of using a firearm by a convicted felon during a crime.

Joseph Hampton’s attorney, Gary Jones, had not yet seen the indictment but said he wasn’t surprised that the state had decided to indict his client on murder charges.

“After doing this for 20 years, anyone even remotely in the area can be charged with felony murder,” he said.

Jones believes that Dennis Hampton was acting independently when he shot and killed Tekilum Terrell and that his client shouldn’t be charged with murder.

Jones said he was surprised by the fact that the state didn’t file charges against two others who reportedly also got involved in the bar fight.

“I think that’s going to come back to haunt the district attorney’s office at trial,” he said.

Cobb Assistant District Attorney Jesse Evans is representing the state on the case.

“Generally there are two important legal concepts that apply to cases where two or more people commit a crime,” Evans said. “They are ‘party to the crime’ and ‘conspiracy’ culpability. Under these legal principles, individuals can each be held legally accountable for the other’s actions.”

An attorney for Dennis Hampton is not listed and Chatman’s attorney is Louis Turchiarelli.

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